Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-12-29
REGULAR TARANTULA KILLERS.

A Monster Wasp that Gets Away
with the Monster Species OF spider.
II have recently read in the columns
of the Examiner some very Interesting
original stories about animal life,n
said u gentlem an to n reporter. and"
he continued, las they are all local or
California stories | want to add TO the
number. Ny business calls me into
the country good deal, and rs am
passionate lover of nature, with its
myriads of forms OF animal life. 1
amusv and entertain myself by taking
observations. One day VIII 10 up in
Calaveras County l was travelling
through rocky section and was rather
hard pressed for something to entertaiR
me. l finally reached little glen,
wheeled my horse about and got under
n magnificent shade tree. Then dis
mounted and sat down for rest
Scarcely had touched ise grass wheh
l was entertained beyond all eXpeeke
tioa by witnessing II bloody battle De-
tween wasps and q tarantula. l eau
them wasps. though in reality they are
not such. being much larger and heav-
icr about the body, which was held
together in two separate parts bv p
scarcely vsible coupling. Their waists
seemed even smaller than the common
wasp, and they swung themselves about
on the coupling with lightning-hke
dexterity. The insects seemed 10 be
very much excited about something and
acted as if looking for prey. 1t may
be that hunger made them furious.
Anyway / closely watched their actions
and soon discovered the cause of their
rage. A large tarantula crept from
under q dry log and apparently started
for his house with all possible speed.
The wasps, rs l will call them, had
been dashng themselves in all direct-
tons about the log. but the mOmont
the insects saw their victim. which had
evidently been hiding, they fell upon
II m furiously with quick darts, and
every dart seemed TO eject II poison
which made the tarantula wriLhe IN
agony. The latter fights Ike beaE
resting on his launches and using his
paws and legs rs weapons of defense.
The tarantula fought for his life, ana
| while doing so seemed to be concious
tlhb III ;tll utZ;ruS Hc must Inahc lOI
his house rs the only hope of safety.
The wrsps seemed by instinct to under
stand what was going on in the mind
of the tarantula and redoublcd their
merciless attacks. They struck their
| victim so suddenly that he seemed. ut
times to be bcwildcred. Finally the
fierce conflict ended; the wasps lad
stung and poisoned the tarantula to
| death. After the battle was over l
took glance Mt the BODY of the latter.
1t bore evidence of terrible struggle
for life. When l approached it tlIp
wasps flow away, but they did not fly
far and were evidently watching me.
When left the wasps returned AND
Immediately commenced to tear tho
dead body of the tarantula to pieces.
In an incredibly short space they had
carried of the body piece by piece,
either to reed their young or lay in a
supply of food for the winter. | made
Particular inquiries concerning. the
habits of the monster wasp, and learn-
ed from some of the old settlers that tire
vicious insects were regular tarantula-
killers and that scarcely one had ever
survived their murderous OnslaughtS.
San Francisco Examiner.